1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the image editing technology and the image reproducing technology, and it particularly relates to method and apparatus for editing images by generating moving images having a plurality of frame rates from a single moving image, and method and apparatus for reproducing the thus edited moving images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Moving images generated at a predetermined frame rate are transmitted in television broadcasting and sometimes in the broadcasting or image distribution using the Internet. Generally, these moving images are reproduced by a reproducing apparatus at the same frame rate as was used in generating the moving images. There are also cases where slow-motion reproduction can be carried out by a reproducing apparatus at a frame rate lower than that for generating the moving images. The display in slow-motion reproduction is generally speaking smoother when the moving images are initially generated at a higher frame rate (see Related Art List (1) below).
Relate Art List
(1) JP Laid-open Publication No. 2002-10129 A, claims 6-12, FIG. 1.
Employing a higher frame rate in generating moving images proves effective in realizing a smoother slow-motion reproduction of moving images. And transmission of such moving images through a communication line, for example, requires a wider transmission band. However, in terms of communication stability, frequency utilization efficiency, communication cost and so forth, a narrower transmission band for the moving images is preferred at any timing of the transmission.